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Sonic Mega Collection
| director = Yojiro Ogawa | producer = Yuji Naka | designer = Hideaki Moriya | artist = Yuji Uekawa | series = Sonic the Hedgehog | composer = Hideaki Kobayashi | platforms = GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Microsoft Windows | released = PlayStation 2 & Xbox Microsoft Windows }} | genre = Compilation | modes = Single-player, multiplayer }} is a video game compilation developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega in 2002 for the GameCube. The compilation contains twelve to fourteen games (depending on region) originally released on the Sega Genesis. Ten of the included games are installments of the ''Sonic the Hedgehog series, while the remaining two to four games are only related to the series through its publisher, Sega. According to the director, Yojiro Ogawa, the purpose of the compilation was to introduce younger players to the original games in the Sonic series. The games are played through a Genesis emulator developed by Sonic Team themselves. Outside of the games, the compilation includes Sonic-themed videos and illustrations, as well as high-resolution scans of the instruction manuals and Sonic the Hedgehog comic covers. Sonic Mega Collection received positive critical reception, being recommended for its large library of titles, great emulation, and its cheap market price. The compilation was re-released with eight bonus games as Sonic Mega Collection Plus for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Microsoft Windows. This was followed by a new compilation for the GameCube, Sonic Gems Collection, which included more obscure and rare Sonic games such as Sonic CD. Overview Sonic Mega Collection features twelve to fourteen complete games in one retail unit. All games are ports of their original versions on the Sega Genesis. High-resolution instruction manual scans are included for each game. Also included is an Extras section featuring over 100 scans of Sonic the Hedgehog comic covers, illustrations of Sonic characters throughout the franchise's history, and a handful of videos promoting other Sonic games, including the beginning and end sequences to Sonic CD. In addition to the seven default games, three unlockable games are included that recreated the Sonic & Knuckles "lock-on technology" to allow for new modes and/or playable characters in each of the first three games in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Also, four games published by Sega but not in the Sonic series could also be unlocked (two in the North American version). }} Development Mega Collection was developed by Sonic Team, the studio behind most games in the Sonic series. According to director Yojiro Ogawa, Sonic Team's goal with the compilation was to introduce children to older games in the series and showcase what made Sonic successful. Sonic Team chose to focus on including all the Genesis Sonic games. Rather than porting them from the Genesis, they collaborated with VR-1 Japan to develop an emulator to run the games' ROM images. Series co-creator Yuji Naka, who served as producer, said the team intended to include the 1993 Sega CD game Sonic CD, but storage constraints prevented this. Sonic Team also considered including BlueSky Software's Vectorman (1995), and Sonic R (1997) and Sonic Shuffle (2000) were expected to appear in Mega Collection at one point. CD, Vectorman, and R'' later appeared in ''Sonic Gems Collection (2005), a successor to Mega Collection focusing on rare Sonic games. Sonic Team had trouble gathering materials for the compilation because it had been a decade since they made the games and "Sega's not that good about keeping history." For instance, Naka wanted to include the original prototype of the first game but Sonic Team could not find its ROM image. Sega announced Mega Collection as a GameCube exclusive in early July 2002, and revealed which games would be included later that month. The compilation went gold the following November; Naka said Sonic Team felt a sense of accomplishment when they completed it. Mega Collection was released in North America on November 10, 2002, in Japan on December 19, 2002, and in Europe on March 21, 2003. Infogrames published the compilation in Europe. When Sega began to expand support for the PlayStation 2, it commissioned a version of Mega Collection for that console and the Xbox. This version, Sonic Mega Collection Plus, was announced at E3 2004. Plus was released in North America on November 2, 2004, in Japan on December 9, 2004, and in Europe on February 4, 2005. A Windows version was released in March 2006, and was later included in the Sonic PC Collection (2009). ''Sonic Mega Collection Plus'' Sonic Mega Collection Plus is an update of Sonic Mega Collection for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles. A Microsoft Windows version was also released in Europe and North America. This edition includes all of the games in Sonic Mega Collection, including the two Genesis games that were included in the Japanese version of Sonic Mega Collection, plus the addition of six Game Gear games: Reception Reviews for Sonic Mega Collection were generally favorable. Louis Bedigian of GameZone praised the controls as "top-notch" including that "even the thumbstick is usable, and it works flawlessly." Game Informer declared Sonic Mega Collection to be "perhaps the best compilation ever." Fran Mirabella of IGN christened the compilation as "a wonderful little collection that, while not perfect, is a great value." Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot suggested that "if you're fiending for Sonic the Hedgehog and either don't have or are unwilling to drag out a dusty Genesis from the closet, don't hesitate to give it a shot." However, Johnny Liu of Game Revolution advised "just blow the dust off the old Genesis, because there isn't enough good extra stuff here." Nintendo Power described Sonic Mega Collection as "the ultimate compilation of Sonic adventures." Reviews for Sonic Mega Collection Plus were also positive. Chris Baker of GameSpy decided that "despite its exclusions, though, Collection's large selection of titles for $19.99 is a tough thing not to recommend to anyone who calls himself a gamer. Even if a few of the games undeniably suck." Hilary Goldstein of IGN declared that "you can't find a better deal than 20 games for 20 dollars," and that "while not every Sonic game is a winner, the majority are. These games, though old, are superior to Sega's more recent 3D Sonic offerings." Aceinet of GameZone, while praising the compilation overall as "a nearly complete package of classic Sonic games," was critical of the emulation of the Game Gear games, saying that "while the emulation is spot-on for the games, having to put up with a black bar around the screen could be upsetting to some." Jeremy Parish of 1UP.com assured readers that "even with its shortcomings, it's still one of the most value-packed classic compilations available for any system -- as long as you like Sonic." Game Informer suggested that "if you grew up with these games, they're still a joy to play," and that "new converts to the Sonic fold will get a great introduction to the 'hog's history." GMR Magazine concluded that "if you're new to Sonic, for 20 bucks you really can't go wrong." The PlayStation 2 version of Mega Collection Plus received a "Platinum" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), indicating sales of at least 300,000 copies in the United Kingdom. See also *''Sonic Gems Collection'' Notes References External links * * Category:2002 video games Category:GameCube games Category:PlayStation 2 games Category:Sonic Team games Category:Sonic the Hedgehog video games Category:Sega video game compilations Category:Video games developed in Japan Category:Windows games Category:Xbox games